Fuel treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a novel apparatus for removing contaminants from diesel fuel while simultaneously heating such fuel, and provides a collection zone for accumulating separated water and other contaminants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the art of fuel treatment and moreparticularly to an apparatus for removing contaminants from diesel fuel.

Various prior art devices have been developed for the treatment of fuelfor use in internal combustion engines. Diesel fuel in particular hasrequired substantial treatment in order to prevent contaminants oradverse weather conditions from affecting the combustion process.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,187, issued Dec. 30, 1975, discloses a heat exchangeapparatus in order to prevent diesel fuel from jelling during periods ofoperation in extremely cold climates. U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,890 describesan apparatus for removing water from diesel fuel during normal operationof the vehicle.

Other fuel treatment devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,437,986and 4,372,847.

While each of these apparatuses perform well their intended function, aneed exists for further improvements in devices for treating fuel forinternal combustion engines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus forremoving contaminants from diesel fuel.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an apparatuswhich simultaneously heats such fuel while removing contaminants.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such anapparatus which has a collection zone for accumulating separated waterand other contaminants.

It is a still further and yet more particular object of this inventionto provide a novel method for draining and a novel drain plug forremoval of contaminants from a closed system.

These, as well as other objects, are accomplished by a fuel treatmentapparatus having a settling chamber with an inlet in a lower portionthereof and an outlet in an upper portion thereof and with afilter-separator between the inlet and outlet through which the fuelmust pass in arriving at the outlet. A downwardly pointed conicalspreader is located above the inlet and spaced from the side walls todirect fuel from the inlet toward the space near the side walls. Theupper surface of the conical spreader acts as a catcher to collect waterand other contaminants which drop from the filter-separator. A watercollection zone is at the bottom of the chamber and the conical spreaderis provided with means to permit moisture and contaminants on the uppersurface thereof to pass therethrough into the water collection zone.Drain means are provided to permit drainage of the water from thecollection zone. A heating jacket surrounds the chamber in order to heatthe treated fluid passing therethrough.

The novel drain means comprises a drain plug having a closure head andan elongated body portion defining drainage slots and vent passagewaysin order to permit drainage from the closed system by merely looseningthe plug and permit drainage through the slots and ventage into theclosed system through the vent passageways. Other methods of drainage,however, may be used with the treatment apparatus depending on thenature of fluids treated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates in cross-section view the apparatusin accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 of the drawings is an enlarged view of plug 39 illustrated inFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with this invention, it has been found that contaminants,particularly moisture, can be removed from fuel or other fluids duringthe operation of an internal combustion engine in a manner notheretofore contemplated. It has additionally been found that the fuelmay simultaneously be heated while being filtered to result in botheconomy of space and increased efficiency. It has additionally beenfound that a novel method of draining and a novel drain plug may be usedto remove accumulated moisture and other contaminants from the closedsystem. Various other advantages and features will become apparent froma reading the following specification given with reference to thevarious figures of drawing.

FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates the apparatus 1 in accordance withthis invention. The view illustrated in FIG. 1 is generally across-section view through the center of the apparatus which isgenerally otherwise a closed system. The apparatus comprises a settlingchamber 3 which is generally defined by means 5 having a wall 7 aboutthe perimeter of the chamber, together with a removable lid 9 andintegral bottom 10. The means 5 further define an inlet 11 at the bottomthereof and an outlet 13 at the top thereof.

A filter-separator 15 is interposed between the inlet 11 and outlet 13and all fuel passing through the settling chamber must pass throughfilter-separator 15. The filter-separator 15 is preferably formed ofteflon upon a suitable support such as a stainless steel screen as iswell recognized within the art. It is preferred to use a stainless steelsupport with 70 micron passages for the teflon.

In actual operation fuel contains moisture generally as free moisture oras an emulsion or other dispersion within the fuel. Other contaminantssuch as entrained gases may also be removed by the filter-separator.Upon contacting the teflon filter-separator, free water as well asemulsified disbursed moisture, coalesces to form droplets which due tothe density variations drop from the filter-separator 15 upon achievingsufficient size. The moisture as well as other contaminants is removedby techniques to be described below.

The filter-separator 15 is generally resiliently retained in place byoutlet conduit means 17 having orifices 19 therein. The orifices 19permit fluid communication between the inside of filter-separator 15 andoutlet 13. The end 21 of conduit means 17 is closed, but provides for asupport such as cotter pin 23 and spring 25 to resiliently maintainfilter-separator 15 in contact with lid 9 as at 27. Such a structurewould permit, if need arose, replacement of filter-separators. It ispreferred that orifices 19 have an area which is three times the area ofinlet orifices 39 described below.

A generally conical spreader 31 is concentric with filter-separator 15and placed therebelow. Conical spreader 31 has a lower surface 33 and anupper surface 35. Inlet conduit means 37 support conical spreader 31 andalso define a pair of orifices 39 which permit fluid communicationbetween inlet 11 and chamber 3.

It is seen that spreader 31 is spaced from wall 7 as at 41 to provide aflow path about spreader 31 whereby fuel must pass through space 41 asit flows along the bottom surface 33 of conical spreader 31.

Upper surface 35 of spreader 31 acts as a gatherer to accumulatemoisture and other debris or contaminants which have fallen fromfilter-separator 15.

A moisture and contaminant collection zone 43 exists within bottom ofchamber 3 for the accumulation of moisture and other contaminants. Awater level line 45 is illustrated here for purposes of description. Thewater collection zone is preferably below orifices 39 in order tominimize the incoming fuel from being contaminated by passing throughaccumulated contaminants. Means 47 are provided to permit moisture andother contaminants gathered upon surface 35 to flow into collection zone43 when gathered upon surface 35.

Means 51 for detecting the presence of moisture at a predetermined levelare provided and may be any of the types of detectors described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,475,498; 4,437,986; or 4,372,847, the disclosures of whichare hereby incorporated by reference. Upon detecting the presence ofwater at a predetermined level, light 52 is activated as a visualindicator for the operator. Light 52 is preferably located nearapparatus 1 to permit viewing during drainage thereof. The moisture andcontaminants are then drained by novel drain plug 61 which will befurther described below with reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings.

A water jacket 65 is provided and defined by the outer surface of means5 and containment vessel 67. The water jacket 65 is supplied with enginecoolant through water inlet 69 and exhausts water through outlet 71. Inactual operation within a motor vehicle, coolant passes through waterjacket 65 for the heating of fuel contained within treatment chamber 3.It is additionally seen that spreader 31 while providing the functionsdescribed above additionally creates a flow path whereby all fuel mustpass through space 41 and thereby pass in close proximity to wall 7 andthereby create an efficient heat exchange relationship with water jacket65.

Also in actual operation the chamber 3 is a closed chamber completelyfilled with fuel which makes necessary the removal of contaminants fromzone 43 by the novel technique to be described. Zone 43 as illustratedin FIG. 1 contains moisture and contaminants accumulated to level 45.Drain plug 61 is provided to permit drainage of the moisture from zone43 without simultaneously removing fuel. FIG. 2 of the drawings is anenlarged view of plug 61. Plug 39 is generally a conventionally shapedbolt having a closure head 81 and an elongated body 83 attached to head81 at 85 and unattached at end 89.

Body portion 83 defines slots 91 and 93 in the side thereof adapted topermit moisture to flow therethrough when plug 61 is loosened to permitslots 91 and 93 to communicate through the bottom 10 of chamber 3. Ithas been surprisingly and unexpectedly found that providing a vent 95through the central portion of body 83 and communicating through thesurface of body portion 93 as at 97, that venting air passes throughopening 97 and opening 95 while moisture and contaminants pass throughslots 91 and 93. This even occurs when end 89 is located within the fuelof the chamber above level 45. It is not entirely clear why thisphenomenon occurs, but it permits drainage of contaminants from theapparatus of this invention as well as from any other closed system.

It is preferred that slots 91 and 93 be slightly below vent exit 97 toprevent moisture and contaminants from entering vent exit at 97. Adistance of 1/16 of an inch has been found satisfactory for thispurpose.

Moisture is removed by simply loosening bolt 61 until slots 91 and 93are exposed below the bottom 10 of chamber 3 as well as vent 97. Waterand contaminants flow through slots 91 and 93 until absence is indicatedby deactivation of light 52. This technique always provides for theretention of a small amount of water in collection zone 43 so that nofuel is discharged during drainage. The prevention of fuel discharge isparticularly important to prevent road and roadside contamination.

Upon removal of contaminants and deactivation of light 52, plug 61 istightened back into the chamber to seal the chamber from furtherdrainage. The head 81 of plug 61 is provided with a machined ring toretain "O" ring 101 in position and to seal chamber 3 from drainage whenplug 61 is hand tight against bottom 10. During the process of drainingcontaminants from the system, a small amount of air passes through vent97 and into chamber 3 which has insignificant effect on engineoperation.

While the above description has been given with reference to fueltreatment, it is readily apparent that any fluid may be equally as welltreated and such description should be so construed.

It is thus seen that the apparatus of this invention provides a novelapparatus for removing contaminants from fuel. It is further seen thatthe apparatus not only provides means for removing contaminants, butalso for heating fuel during engine operation. The apparatus of thisinvention additionally provides for a novel and unique drain plug foruse therewith, as well as for use with other systems. As many variationswill become apparent to those of skill in the art from a reading of theabove description, such variations are embodied within the spirit andscope and of the following appended claims:

That which is claimed is:
 1. A fuel treatment apparatus comprising:meansdefining a settling chamber having an inlet in a bottom portion thereofand an outlet in an upper portion thereof and a wall at the lateralperimeter thereof; a filter-separator between said inlet and said outletthrough which said fluid must pass to reach said outlet; a downwardlypointed conical spreader above said inlet generally centrally disposedwithin said chamber, but spaced from said outer wall with an uppersurface and a lower surface, said fluid being spread about said lowersurface and flowing through the space between said spreader and saidwall; a water collection zone in a bottom section of said chamber belowsaid conical spreader; said upper surface of said conical spreaderforming a catcher to catch moisture dropping from said filter-separator;means to permit moisture on said upper surface to flow through saidconical spreader and into said water collection zone; and drain means topermit drainage of water from said collection zone.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 further comprising a jacket surrounding said meansdefining a chamber for permittng the passing therethrough of a heatingfluid to heat fluid in said chamber.
 3. The apparatus according to claim1 further including a probe mounted in said water collection zone todetect the presence of water at a predetermined level.
 4. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said chamber is cylindrically shaped. 5.The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said filter-separator isconically shaped and downwardly pointed and generally concentric withsaid conical spreader.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 whereinsaid filter-separator is comprised of teflon-covered stainless steel. 7.The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means defining a chambercomprises a removable lid through which said outlet passes and whereinsaid filter-separator is attached to said lid.
 8. The apparatusaccording to claim 7 further including a conduit communicating with saidoutlet with radially disposed orifices passing therethrough for receiptof filtered fluid and wherein said conduit resiliently supports saidfilter-separator in contact with said lid.
 9. The apparatus according toclaim 1 further including an inlet conduit communicating with said inletwith radially disposed orifices through which unfiltered fuel flows andwherein said inlet conduit supports said conical spreader.